Yellowknife (Aug 09/06) - The fire marshal believes he knows what caused the fire that destroyed part of Ecole St. Joseph school.

So far, however, Bernie Van Tighem is remaining tight lipped, saying the Aug. 3 blaze is still under investigation.

"We have an idea," said Van Tighem.

Twenty firefighters responded to the fire that destroyed four portable classrooms and a mini-gymnasium at the school on Range Lake. - NNSL file photo

Van Tighem and the RCMP are working together to investigate the fire that they are only saying is "suspicious" at this time.

The fire marshal said he was also investigating how the fire spread so quickly.

"We're looking at the construction of the building and looking for evidence of accelerant," he said.

Van Tighem still has to conduct several interviews with firefighters who were first to arrive on the scene. This will take place over the next few days.

Normally, the Yellowknife Fire Department would conduct its own investigation, but did not because of how exhausted the firefighters were, said acting fire Chief Darcy Hernblad Monday.

RCMP are also saying little about the progress of the investigation.

"There are no suspects," said Const. Colleen Werrell.

She could not say whether police knew the cause of the fire or why it burned so quickly.

Firefighters responded to multiple calls from witnesses who saw smoke and flames from the school on Range Lake Road around 8 p.m.

The fire is believed to have started in the crawl space beneath the structure, then spread inside the walls and flooring of four portable classrooms and a mini-gymnasium.

Yellowknife Catholic Schools (YCS) board chair Shannon Gulberg praised fire crews for their work.

"The firemen, RCMP and bylaw officers were really excellent," said Gulberg. "They really did an exemplary job."

YCS Superintendent Kern Von Hagen said he believes the fire was deliberately set and that the act speaks to the mindset of some people in the community.

"Setting fire was pretty brazen," said Von Hagen.

"One of the more overt and potentially dangerous and harmful things to do is to set one of our social institutions on fire."

The fire was contained in one wing of the school by closed fire doors and a concrete fire wall, Von Hagen said there is a substantial amount of smoke and water damage in adjacent parts of the school.

Northern Disaster Services has been in the school since the fire.

"There is still smoke in the building," said Gulberg.

"There are currently oxygen machines that are set up throughout the school to oxidize the school and are cleaning the air 24 hours a day."

She said St. Joe's will be ready for teachers to return to work Aug. 25-26 and when students return Aug. 29.

The cost of the damage has not yet been determined, although a figure is expected to be available later this week.

"We do know, however, that insurance will cover everything," Von Hagen said.

"This includes, for example, building, cleaning and all lost contents."

YCS is compiling an inventory of teaching resources and supplies that were in the classrooms.

Gulberg said the district is contacting teachers and asking them for a list of personal items they had in the classrooms.

Curriculum materials destroyed in the fire have already been ordered and will arrive in time for the school year.

Classroom space for Grade 4 and 5 students who would have been in the destroyed wing should be arranged by Friday, said Gulberg.

Security has also been a priority. In addition to a new fence that has been erected around the school, a security firm hired by YCS continues to patrol the school grounds on a regular basis.

YCS is working with the territorial education department in the wake of the fire. Education Minister Charles Dent said he was at the scene of Thursday night.

"It was very disturbing to watch," said Dent. "This sort of thing is totally unacceptable."